The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 15, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

Sleuthing needlework shop owner Betsy Devonshire is happy to welcome Doris Valentine home from her trip to Thailand. In addition to her own purchases, Doris has brought back something for a St. Paul antique dealer. Her friends all admire the stone Buddha and ignore the dirty rag in which it’s wrapped. When Doris throws it out, Betsy rescues it from the trash. The dealer’s murder naturally arouses Betsy’s curiosity. Although she’s appalled when Doris’s apartment is wrecked in a search, the outrage just increases her interest. After Doris is attacked while she’s snowed in at a bed and breakfast with her boyfriend Phil and some other friends, the attacker is killed in a fall down the stairs, but Doris’s troubles have only begin. The searchers clearly want the Thai silk, but Doris has only the material she bought for herself. Betsy astutely suspects the dirty rag the Buddha was wrapped in may be of more interest than its looks suggest. Research shows that it’s an ancient and very valuable item stolen from a Chinese tomb. In the end, Betsy and her friends are lucky to escape alive from a obsessively determined thief.

Betsy’s adventures (Knitting Bones, 2007, etc.) are always pleasantly cozy. This one adds a bit more excitement to the mix.

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